Trusty Chords

If you've been paying attention to the Australian music scene in recent years, there's a good chance you may have come across the enigmatic majesty that is Our Carlson. Having got his start in the hardcore world over two decades ago, Carlson has spent the past few years cementing himself as a commanding figure within the world of electronic music, describing his work as "trauma doof f...

Ask anyone, and there's a good chance that many Australian music fans will describe Gareth Liddiard as one of the pillars of this country's music scene. For Liddiard, his musical career began back in the '90s, entering this creative world alongside the formation of The Drones, who are often regarded one of Australia's most revered bands. Alongside numerous albums and myriad live pe...

For the past few years now, I've been watching Newcastle outfit dust rise through the ranks, ticking achievements off their bucket lists as if it's no big deal. I've eagerly watched them since I wrote their very first piece of press back in 2021, premiering their first single, and manifesting good things for them. Since then, it's been stunning to see them continuously drop stellar...

If you're a fan of music from the '90s, or just the indie-rock genre in general, then the chances are probably pretty much perfect that you're aware of The Lemonheads. First formed in Boston back in 1986, the group has been fronted by Evan Dando since its earliest days, with Dando being the driving force (and only original remember) since 1989. The Lemonheads rose to widespread promine...

Since 2021, New South Wales quartet The Rions have been rising stars in Australia's eclectic music scene. First forming in year seven back in 2016 and releasing a few singles at the start of this decade, The Rions rose to fame four years ago when they were announced as the winners of triple j's Unearthed High competition. Winning the esteemed prize despite being unable to promote their wor...

For decades now, Dave Graney has been one of the most important names in the world of Australian music. First making his appearance in the music world in the late '70s, the South Australian-born Graney found wider fame as a member of The Moodists with partner Clare Moore, with the group's influential post-punk sound seeing them based in London as their profile grew. Following the band'...

For well over a decade now, Jacob Banks has been enchanting listeners the world over with his immersive blend of soul and R&B.  Rising to prominence following his success in a music competition in 2012, Banks quickly became a hot ticket, scoring plenty of airplay thanks to his early singles, including collaborative singles with the likes of Wretch 32 and Chase & Status. Singles soon turned...

For the past five years now, Los Angeles has been home to the alt-rock/pop-punk outfit Beauty School Dropout.  Initially being formed as a solo project from Colie Hutzler while still performing as part of the group Strangefaces, the project soon expanded with the membership of Brent 'Beepus' Burdett and Bardo Novotny.  Swiftly, the group found themselves surrounded by a strong stable of su...

If you've been listening to this podcast over the last year and a half, then you'd probably be aware of how much I love to shine a light on artists from Adelaide. Maybe it's my biased nature due to being from Adelaide, or maybe there's something in the water there, but whatever the case, I reckon one Adelaide act you need to hear right now is none other than Kurralta Park. Named fo...

If you're looking for an artist to give your attention to this year, I humbly and assertively request that it be MUDRAT. MUDRAT is a project that has been going officially since December 2023, with a string of releases arriving in that first year, including the likes of 'I HATE RICH CUNTS,' 'WE DESPISE THE BOURGEOISIE,' and 'YEAR OF THE RAT.' Judging by the titles alone...

For over 15 years now, the worlds of emo, indie, and post-hardcore have been home to the ever-enjoyable The World Is A Beautiful Place & I Am No Longer Afraid To Die. If you're anything like me, you might have been intrigued by the group's often unmanageable name, but once you checked them out, you were struck by their inimitable approach to music, with an expertly-crafted blending of...

It's probably fair to say that the world of rock music wouldn't look how it does today without a band like The Runaways. Formed in 1975, the group's all-female lineup was a breath of fresh air on the male-dominated scene, with debut single "Cherry Bomb" and their self-titled album arriving in 1976 to strong acclaim, despite not being a smash on the charts. Ultimately, The Run...

When you think about Australian music, it's a little hard not to think about Davey Lane. That might sound grandiose, but given he's spent more than 25 years as a guitarist for local legends You Am I, it's hard to classify him any other way. Joining the already-established outfit at just the age of 18, Lane swiftly found himself as part of Aussie music royalty, eventually going on to be...

Hello and welcome to Trusty Chords, the podcast which aims to celebrate music and those that create it. For the past 25 years, Brisbane's Halfway have operated as one of those well-kept secrets that often feels as though only a select few know about. Of course, with ARIA, APRA, and AIR Award nominations (and a win the latter category), along with three Queensland Music Awards, it's fair to...

For a few decades now, one of Australia's greatest unsung musical heroes has been none other than Bryan Estepa.  Born in the Philippines before moving to Australia as a child, Bryan has had a storied career as a musician, performing in bands such as Swivel and Hazey Jane before turning his attention toward solo gear. That solo gear first took form under the moniker Adeline before he decided to...

Cast your mind back 20 years and you might be taken right back to a moment in time where one of the most exciting Australian bands out there on the scene was none other than End Of Fashion. Formed in Perth by Justin Burford, who was at the time a member of The Sleepy Jackson, End Of Fashion found itself slowly finding fame thanks to constant airplay on triple j, and by the time 2005 rolled around,...

If you know me (or simply listen to the podcast – both are very good options), then you'd likely know how much I like to surround myself with musicians I both enjoy and respect. Frankly, with that in mind, I reckon you can't go past someone like Ashlea Jaye. A lifelong lover of music and a self-described theatre kid, Ashlea has been a supporter of music for as long as I've known her. I...

Ever since they released their debut single back in 2019, Queensland alt-rockers Cardboard Cutouts have been determined to keep themselves moving.  Whether it's trying new things on the writing or recording front, or simply looking towards myriad artists for inspiration, it's easy to see they're a group who aren't happy to stay in one lane. Indeed, these past few years have seen the group slowly g...

For a few years now, the Australian music industry has been home to a band whose current iteration has roots spanning back decades. In the early '90s, the Sydney scene featured an indie-rock trio dubbed The Templebears. Issuing three releases across as many years, the group never released a debut album, ultimately splitting around 1992. Its members would soon find themselves playing in bands s...

If you're someone who likes their music a little bit dreamy, a little bit hazy, and a whole lot of brilliant, then you need to point your peepers toward New Zealand, where Auckland's Phoebe Rings have been providing just that for some years now.  Initially beginning as something of a solo project for Crystal Choi, it swiftly expanded, bringing together a group of stellar artists to form wh...

Are you someone who likes their music with a bit of energy and a bit of fun? Then let me point you towards Bakers Eddy. Formed in Wellington, New Zealand when its members were still quite young, the group found itself crafting a pop-punk sound and issuing a few tracks and an EP before heading west and relocating to Melbourne, Australia. Since 2017, Bakers Eddy have been an Australian band in locat...

For over 20 years now, music-lovers of the world have been lucky enough to exist within the same timeline as The Spill Canvas. Formed by Nick Thomas back in 2001, the group rose to fame throughout the decade, with their work equally being categorised as alternative rock, emo, pop rock, and more. Thanks to releases like the 'Denial Feels So Good' EP, 'One Fell Swoop,' and 'No Re...

When it comes to explaining Private Function in just a few short paragraphs, there's a lot of difficulty at play.  After all, they're a Melbourne punk outfit who have been around for close to a decade now, pumping out blistering tunes while employing a visceral sense of humour as they use their platform to succeed in the rock world while simultaneously turning the genre back on itself and...

Anyone who knows me knows that I love a good lyricist, and then that means you should definitely know the great Craig Finn. For the uninitiated, Craig was the man behind the likes of Lifter Puller, and following their split in 2000, he moved from Minneapolis to New York City and, well, didn't do much. That was, until he formed The Hold Steady after being inspired by the likes of Drive-By Truck...

If you're someone who hasn't yet listened to Propagandhi, then I'm sure you're about to have the time of your life as you discover their eclectic and celebrated discography. Forming in Canada back in 1986, they've been a going concern for close to four decades now, though it wasn't until 1993 that they released their first album.  After a few years, they released 2001's...